Saiyan Awakening: Total
by genesis's scion
Summary: Bardock and Vegeta are leaders of a Saiyan Resistance. Paragus sits on the throne and King Vegeta is dead. This is not the universe you knew. This is the awakening.
1. Prologue

The Saiyan Awaking: A What if set during the Dragonball Series  
  
What if…the Saiyan homeward had not been destroyed?  
  
Prologue: A war that never happened.  
  
King Vegeta is dead at the hands of Frieza, the Planet Vegeta is ravaged by a violent civil war that ended with the Frieza supported armies of Paragus claiming the throne, but hope remains. Under the leadership of Saiyan General Nappa and Bardock hero of the Civil War, a resistance has been formed around the sole surviving member of the royal family Prince Vegeta, who is now 17 (I did the math. Vegeta is five years older than his mortal adversary Goku is twelve, so this about when Goku meets Bulma). This resistance is dedicated to two missions, restoring the Saiyan throne and breaking up the Planet Trade.  
  
"A blade and a feather have much in common they each symbolize the ultimate expression of their competing ideals war and peace. The trick is to hold one in each hand and not crush one."  
  
-Bardock at his secret training center (believed to be in the year 742)  
  
The city was in ruins, but it had once been a great metropolis. The greatest city on the planet, now it was rubble where only the poorest and outcast remained. 'One death is not enough for you, traitor, for this act of barbarism.' The city had been the capital of planet Vegeta and the teenager standing on the ruins of the palace of King Vegeta was Prince Vegeta, the only son of the dead king.  
  
When the crony puppet of Frieza brought his forces to the great city he was forced to fight a brutal battle to take the city, Saiyans fighting house to house had heavily damaged the city. With King Vegeta dead at Frieza's hands the defenders surrendered for the most part. But Paragus now King of the Saiyan People, ordered the city razed. Every building was destroyed and every inhabitant was massacre, with only a few given to Lord Frieza for his amusement. The bonfires of Saiyan bodies had burned throughout that dark night. Bardock had told Vegeta that now the Saiyans knew the pain that they had inflicted. That we must never go down that road again but we must avenge these lives. Vegeta had not been there but Nappa still woke up in the middle of the night screaming, he never told Vegeta what his dream was about, only that it was always the same one. "Paragus, you fool. You only live because you serve Frieza without question, like a puppy dog."  
  
"That is true my prince but he is a dog with teeth." Vegeta turned to see Nappa come up behind him. His shaved head and brown armor marked him as a warrior of many years. Over his left eye was a patch where Zarbon had dug it out before being rescued by Vegeta and Bardock. He turned away from his old friend.  
  
"Ha, without Frieza's menacing presence the Saiyan people, army, and resistance would have his body drawn and quartered in a day." Nappa scratched his chin.  
  
"You are probably right, and we are standing on the reason why, but as soon as that happened Frieza would vaporize this planet and hunt us all down. Which is why Bardock wants Frieza to go first, then we take out Paragus."  
  
"Where is Bardock anyway?"  
  
"Off-world still, who knows where but I just sent him a word through the link." Vegeta shook his head. Bardock had proven himself as a warrior and a scientist before the Great Civil War but since he had excelled at both. The Link, a collection of ultra-stealth relay satellites, allowed the resistance to contact one another, without ever knowing anyone's exact location, something created by Bardock. "I don't understand why he wants to help these nation-planets at war with the planet trade."  
  
"Which reason the reason he told us or the real one?"  
  
"There's two?"  
  
"The reason he told us this, if we can force Frieza and Paragus over commit to a few planets, we can operate more freely here and off-world."  
  
"Ok I get that and the real one?"  
  
"That's his. He hates not just the Planet Trade but what it stands for. He wants us to become the protectors of the weak, to stop creatures like Paragus, Frieza, and us from ever wrecking such havoc as this ever again. And standing here, hearing the wind only where once 10 million lived can I disagree? No, this was not right and if I have any say the Saiyans must never become monsters again." With that the two old friends walked deep into the ruins as the made their way out of city.  
  
  
  
Bardock slept in stillness. When he was like this his fellow warriors said he was navigating the river of opportunity and chance, to give his warriors the safe charted path through danger but never around. New recruits were indoctrinated in this quasi-religion. Ever since Kaamas Bardock had visions of the future, present, and past. Paragus and Frieza talking on Frieza's ship right before the death of King Vegeta; deep in the past. Many of them troubled or disheartened Bardock, but there were those that made him smile and in these dark times that was gold. The images of his son, Kakarot, living on a distant world. He had become the warrior he was bred to be and as promised by his tormentor and eventual guide a warrior which protected the weak from the cruel. But at the end of his vision always sitting there was the memory of the worse day in his life. He flew from Meat, a planet his team had been ordered to cleanse, where his entire team had been wiped out by Dodoria's team. He wiped out Frieza's elites and then slugged it out with Dodoria until he decided to play chicken feigning death after one of Dodoria's attacks. 'He was never a smart man, in fact he ain't much of a man at all.' After Dodoria left, Bardock discovered that the Saiyan girl Fasha had barely survived. He used all his newfound psychic power to keep her alive while he returned to Vegeta and left her in the care of the doctors. Now, he didn't know if she survived the massacre. He had brought her back in pieces to Vegeta and she probably died anyway.  
  
He woke from that sore pain in his heart. He was on the planet Arlia. A world populated by an insectoid race, which would soon be struck by Frieza's forces. Here is where the Planet Trade pays in blood. Upon planet fall, Bardock had identified a guerilla group led by the dethroned Prince and his unofficial wife. He liked the man and felt he was a better ruler than the tyrant that led the nation was. The Saiyans murdered the evil king and installed the Prince as ruler who freed his people and sent his warriors to Bardock's training center to prepare for the inevitable strike by the Planet Trade. They had greatly improved but in his visions Bardock had seen the staging area from where the strike against this planet would come. A pull in his mind alerted him to something. He saw his second a brawling man named Beeta. "Beeta watch out the Arlian general."  
  
"Where is he…" In front of Beeta a shadow raised from the ground and materialized as the Arlian General.  
  
"Greetings Dagul, how may I help you this evening?" Beeta still sat with his mouth open in surprise.  
  
"How did you know I was hear?"  
  
"I felt your mind. Now will you answer my question?"  
  
"Certainly. A message came for you." He handed Bardock a disk. "We have also sighted Planet Trade ships enter this system. We have twenty-four hours until touch down. I have already ordered the armies to level six alert. Will your forces join us?"  
  
"We won't abandon you. This is our fight too. Long before it was yours in fact. Are your people ready?"  
  
"Yes, our Special Forces are standing by. The lowest rating is 9000 on your scouters."  
  
"What? They are that powerful?" asked Beeta.  
  
"Are you surprised? Gravity training, energy manipulation classes, Saiyan fighting techniques, and their unique cloaking ability certainly pushed them up."  
  
  
  
Fasha lay down on the cot she had in her room. It was much of a room, just one light, a hard cardboard cot, and a drain for her to urinate in. Her ragged Saiyan jumpsuit, which she once wore proudly and honorable, now hung from her wrecked body. It was now a reminder of her fall and her anguish. It had been twelve years since she had been captured in the devastated city on the dark night. She had been one of those handed over to Frieza as a gift by Paragus. Most of them were killed for Frieza's amusement, but a few were given to his lieutenants, she was made a gift to Zarbon. He made her sleep in this room every night since then and she still wore the uniform she had been captured in. She did hard work for him, like a slave, working on his huge estate. He worked her until she could not stand then put a bowl of food and water in her room and threw her in. Repeat in the morning until her will is nothing and her body doesn't work then torture her to death, like the others.  
  
She was still working out the pain in her body when the door swung open. Zarbon stood in the doorway with a sadistic smile on his face. "Get up whore. You have work to do." Fasha got up and followed him down the hall to his kitchen. A pale and sponge sat on the floor.  
  
'Oh no. He wants me to scrub the floors for him at this hour.' It wasn't the first time he had denied her sleep to do hard meaningless work and it won't be the last.  
  
"I want you to scrub the floors before morning and if you do I will double your rations."  
  
'That's odd why do that?'  
  
"But we will do things a bite more entertaining tonight." His smile got wider. "Face down on the floor." Fasha obeyed, what else was there? He reached around her and put a key locked belt on waist. He wrenched her right arm behind her back and cuffed it to the belt. He then tied her feet together. "Good now wash the floors and if ain't done in the morning I will work you into next evening." He left and Fasha started to crawl across the marble floor for the bucket.  
  
Continued in chapter one: A new home. 


	2. Chapter 1

I do not own Dragonballz or any characters related to. Dragonballz and all characters are owned by Toei and Funimation.  
  
Rated R for violence and language  
  
  
  
Saiyan Awakening: Chapter 1  
  
A New Home  
  
"How great is the irony of pain? The pain where my eye once was is nothing compared to the pain I feel in my heart when I think of king murdered by a tyrant or the great city as it burned as I and few of my surviving soldiers escaped. What is pain, pain is life and now the Saiyan people know what it is to live…and die."  
  
Nappa at the Battle of Clag in the year 745  
  
  
  
Bardock prepares for a showdown with the Planet Trade on Arlia. Vegeta and Nappa are moving through the populace of Vegeta. At Zarbon's residence Fasha is held as his captive, a trophy prize awarded by Frieza. And a traitor sits on the Saiyan throne.  
  
The city smoldered from the battle that had just been waged. A battle that the city's defenders lost. In the middle on the burnt, blasted terrain stood a teenage male, with long black hair and as naked as the day he had been born. His tail swayed in the breeze. He had always known he had not been one of these people, they were too weak, too short, too scaly. But never had he imagined that he would be this different. They had accepted him and cared for him, until last night when the first full moon in 15 years occurred. He didn't know what happened really but he knew that the destruction wrecked here was his doing. He wondered how many friends had he killed.  
  
Three bright lights blazed through the heavens and three metal stones dropped to the ground. He knew they were machines but he didn't know what kind. Two of them opened and two males stepped out. They each had black hair, but one had short hair and the other long hung about the shoulders. What struck the young warrior is they each had tails. "Hello young warrior, we are here to collect you since you have finished your mission." The short haired one said. The other looked about with a curious machine on his head. He motioned to his compatriot then walked off.  
  
"Are you my people?"  
  
"Yes we are Saiyans as are you, a proud warrior race whose power is feared throughout the known universe. You were born Raditz. Does that name please you?"  
  
"Yes. Do you have any clothes?"  
  
"In the third pod which is yours, it is programmed to fly us home, so don't worry about that." The other came back dragging a Branian girl named Canna, the girl Raditz cared for the most. Her short body was covered in her tattered orange nightgown, she was dwarfed by the adult Saiyan. Her sky blue scales glistened in the light. "What you got there?"  
  
"The last of these beast. How this girl survived I don't know when I found her she was crying over a little ones body."  
  
"Hmm, Raditz since it was your job to kill all these things will you finish the job."  
  
Raditz didn't want to do it but he didn't want to be left here or displaced from his people. He walked up to the short-haired one. "Can I keep her?"  
  
The other frowned and gave him a look that said he understood but that it was a bad answer. "I am sorry but our Lord has ordered all these creatures dealt with, permenantly."  
  
Raditz frowned and then kneeled beside the girl and spoke in her people's language. "I am sorry Can, but you will see your brother again soon." He wrapped his right arm around her neck and grab a small nerve cluster at its back. She went tense for a moment and went slack. He then lowered her body to the floor and left her there.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"All Brani have a nerve cluster on the back of their neck it controls their heart and lungs if pressure a certain way you can cause lethal paralysis or soothing calmness. I learned it early on."  
  
"Quick and painless. Let's go home Raditz."  
  
"Yes." As soon as they turned he took a medallion of Canna's neck and put on himself before leaving.  
  
  
  
Nappa and Vegeta prepped their pods for launch. "I can't believe we are going to Caamas to wrestle a planet from the Trade." Nappa complained.  
  
"It is on the edge of Trade, they don't have the resources there since they lost their main supply base in that sector to push us out it makes sense."  
  
"But why Caamas?"  
  
"I don't know maybe Bardock wants it because of its defensible locale. Or he hopes to find a Caamas guide book to Psionic ability."  
  
"Why don't I like the later? And you can be sure the Trade will do everything in their power to keep it for the former."  
  
Vegeta admitted to himself, as he adjusted the pod's stealth generator, he didn't like that fact either. "I ain't saying it is not going to be difficult, but the man has good reasons. Besides he wants to establish a dissident Saiyan homeworld."  
  
"That I like the sound of. And were Saiyans the difficult is another day at the office."  
  
"Amen Nappa, amen."  
  
  
  
Zarbon strode through the halls of his manor toward the kitchen. 'I wonder how far she got?' He laughed at the thought of her furiously washing as he came in the kitchen. What he got was much different.  
  
The place literally sparkled, even the marble under the furniture had been washed, meaning she had moved it and put it back during the night. Zarbon knew that once someone proved to do the seemingly impossible, breaking your word would only invite a level of disobedience that would force him to kill her sooner than he wanted. The only choice was to honor his agreement. He found her still bound up with one hand free in the middle of the kitchen, asleep. Her free hand was in the bucket of water, it had 'raisened' in the night. He picked her up and carried her to her cell and dropped her inside, then untied her. He opened the jar of kibble he feed her with and filled the bowl twice height than normal. He did the same with the water he put both and closed the door. He hit the alarm and a huge siren blared in her cell, wrenching her awake. "Enjoy your meal and the day is yours enjoy." He walked off laughing.  
  
  
  
Vegeta and Nappa blasted off the planet and into orbit during an electrical storm with a force of twenty Saiyan warriors they would meet up with a force that would help them take the Planet Kaamas in twenty days. Til then they slept in the pods waiting for victory and battle.  
  
Continued in Chapter Two: A Price of Paid 


	3. Chapter 2

Saiyan Awakening Chapter Two  
  
A Price Paid  
  
"Honor is nothing. Loyalty is an aberration. The only thing that matters is power. Those with the power make the rules. Those without are enslaved. So yes I made a deal with the devil, but can any of you say it was wrong. We are a people who could have been wiped out by that devil with just a wave of his hand. Those that survived may not forgive me, but those generations that otherwise would not have been born will sing my praises. And perhaps then I will be vindicated."  
  
-Paragus, at his coronation, 737 AD  
  
On Arlia, the resistance wages a war against the planet trade. In the depths of space a young Saiyan warrior begins a journey to duty and tragedy. On route to Kanassa, an exiled prince prepares for battle. The sinister Zarbon holds a Saiyan warrior captive. This is not world you knew, this the world of the Saiyans.  
  
  
  
Arlia-  
  
Bardock stood in the planetary defense war room. Cut from a crystal alloy it was the hardest substance known to the Arlians. Bardock wondered if it would survive a direct blast but that didn't matter. He only needed it long enough to control the automated defense platforms in Arlia's orbit.  
  
The Planet Trade's forces gathered in high orbit. Hundreds of pods and saucer cruiser comprised the strike force. The orbital defense force was comprised of heavy laser satellites and missile satellites. Greater forces awaited the attackers on the ground, but the Arlians hoped that this defense grid would drive off the attackers.  
  
"All batteries, power up weapons and target at your leisure." The Arlian general called. A fury on motion accompanied his words as his technicians powered up their weapons. Bardock stood behind the general and watched. The pods forced their way down toward the planet preparing for entry. "Fire!"  
  
The sky over Arlia lit up in a wondrous and frightening display. Missiles and laser blasts met the pods head on shred their numbers, still they came. Some of the missiles started peppering the saucer as it responded in kind with the laser batteries long since laid dormant. 'So Frieza's forces are not as complacent as I thought.'  
  
The pods started to pass the satellite batteries, as their mother ship blasted several satellites. "Sir, a breach has opened in the net but one of our laser batteries got a fatal blast on the saucer, look." Sure enough the Arlian weapons tech was right. The saucer had a huge blown diagonally through its hull; it was losing atmosphere and orbit, fast by the looks of it too.  
  
"The Saucer is dead but expectedly the troops live on. And we must meet them on Arlian soil. Come General let us gather the troops, let Arlia be their graveyard." Bardock announced as he walked out of the room and went off to his men.  
  
  
  
Deep Space-  
  
The armada of Saiyan pods closed in on a floating rock in the dead of space. Vegeta hated meeting like this. They were literally nowhere, meeting an unknown ally of Bardock's in void between the stars. He rubbed his jaw as his pod lined up for the final approach on the docking latch.  
  
If things were going well Bardock would be engaged in heavy fighting on Arlia, and with a little luck winning. He hoped he was Bardock was in the position to stick it to Frieza, but soon Vegeta would have some fun too.  
  
The pod rotated and entered it's docking port. As the pod rotation ended the docking moors locked on and Vegeta saw into the cavernous docking bay. Several large ships stood near a catwalk, which ended at a glass enclosed control room. These ships were a buzz with activity as equipment was taken out and put on industrial gravity lifts. They were clearly meant as transports bring vital resources to the ship and taking stuff out to be sold. Goods gained from their piracy.  
  
Sleeker ships stood near the massive space doors, which was the only barrier between this room and the cold vacuum of space. These ships were nearly a quarter of the size of the cargo ships and were smooth surfaced where the cargo ships were bulky and inelegant. They had a round nose, which slopped smoothly to a round glass cockpit, and further back to two short but sleek wings which drooped further back and down. These too were abuzz with activity as mechanics fueled its engines and replaced expended armaments. Another being sat in one cockpit fiddling with the controls. It's green and pointy ears told of its race, Namekian.  
  
"Ah, you have taken an interest in our dragoon wings," a deep ancient voice said behind Vegeta and he spun around in an undignified manner. A robed figure stood behind him. He was also Namekian, ancient where the other had been youthful. He supported himself on a wooden staff. It took Vegeta a moment to realize he was not supporting his form with the staff, only using it as a deception. "I am sorry if I startled you, Young Prince Vegeta if guess right."  
  
"You guess right. And if I assume correctly you are Lord Slug of the World Ship Mono, correct?" Vegeta smiled.  
  
The Namek merely moved his head in neither a gesture of yes or no. "I am. I noticed you had taken an interest in our Dragoon Wings do you have any questions?"  
  
"Yes but I would like my…oh here he comes." Vegeta saw behind Slug his second and good friend Nappa.  
  
"Prince Vegeta, all hands accounted for and docked. Who is this wrinkled old lizard?" asked Nappa noticing Vegeta's companion for the first time. The Saiyan prince could have died of horror right there and then. And if Slug choose to take, he and his men would die a far less merciful death at their enemies' hands. In that scenario the only question was would Slug do it himself or just ship them off to Frieza and Paragus.  
  
Fortunately, Slug seemed merely amused at Nappa's outburst and chuckled oddly. "Allow me to introduce myself General Nappa. I am Lord Slug, commander of this ship and all it's resources and your patron here." A bewildered look, which mimicked the one Vegeta had given him moments ago, came over Nappa's face. "Oh don't be so dramatic. I have recently come to terms over my age and the fact that the great power I once wielded is irrevocably lost to me. I will die soon, perhaps sooner than I wish, and you know something. I am glad, if Bardock is right, I will soon be standing on an abyss. On the other side is a universe of peace and order where my pirates and I will be out of place. And if we fall into the abyss, well we are all doomed than, every living person in the galaxy is doomed.  
  
Planet Frost-  
  
It was a world of ice. So far from it's own star that only a few scant minutes of daylight occurred a day. If the temperature was above –30 C, it was considered a very hot day. The planet was ravaged by constant ice storms whose winds would tear the flesh from a less resilient species, assuming that it survived a wind chill of –110 Celsius. And then it only got worse for reasons unknown to this planets inhabitants, occasionally this planet's gravity field went nuts and part of the atmosphere opened to space.  
  
Perhaps even more unknown was how in this psychotic universe a species managed to survive this hell, procreate and get to the point of developing sentience. For one did. And that race eventually spawned Lord Frieza, Supreme Director of the Planet Trade and Heir Apparent to the Frost White Throne.  
  
As Zarbon made his way through the heavily heated corridors, he wondered whether this universe would be  
  
better off if a rock had smashed down from the heavens and destroyed this world in an earlier time. These  
  
corridors were the halls of the Supreme Directorship of the Planet Trade, both Frieza's home away from the  
  
front and his administrative capital. The building was arrayed in three concentric circles each one elevated  
  
above the other so that the outer windows had a breathtaking view of the Frost ice fields. Zarbon stood at  
  
one of those windows and gazed out at the white savanna. It was simply a glacier, flat and unbroken by  
  
any natural features. Zarbon gazed at the wall clock and smiled. The sun rose above the horizon and the  
  
light caught the sheet of ice. As the light hit the mixture of liquids that made up the ice and watched as gigantic rainbow rose and spread over the sky.  
  
Behind Zarbon, he heard the crowd quiet as the busy hallway came to halt at this daily treat. He continued on his way knowing that being late to this appointment could be terminal. "Fatal would be a better word for it," he murmured as he continued.  
  
He was inside the inner ring, or the militant control part. In this ring was Lord Frieza's own quarters, as well as the conference room, war room, and space control with a spaceport located in the center of the rings. Zarbon was headed to Frieza's personal viewing room located in his quarters.  
  
Zarbon knew this was bad. The only reason Frieza called anyone into his private quarters was to scare the shit out of them, if they were lucky. He reached the door and braced himself as he gingerly hit the door release.  
  
The arctic chill that blew out of the room nearly knocked him over from the sheer iciness of it. Frieza kept the base at 20C at all times, except his chambers which he maintained at –40C, 95% humidity, and 3 ATMs, which was two more than the rest of the base. This way anyone who opened the door immediately got blasted as the cold air attempted to fill the relative void outside. Zarbon stepped into the viewing chamber.  
  
If you like freezing or considered 40 below beach weather, it was a nice room. Ice sculptures lined the walls of the room, most depicting the various species that managed to challenge Frieza mildly and yet were still exterminated. The throne like chair at the end of the chamber was ice as well. Frozen gold chlorate to be exact. And perched on it with his tail curled from behind it to wrap around one of its legs was Lord Frieza. He sat with his miniature body slumped to one side, his horned head resting on his hand as his elbow rested against the chair's arm.  
  
"Zarbon do you mind informing me of your failure before I point it out to you in cruel detail." Frieza's icy, but strangely weary, voice chilled Zarbon in a way the room failed to. Where the room chilled him to the bone; this chilled him to the soul, if such a thing existed.  
  
"If I have failed you in any way my lord it is none that I know of." It was a pat answer but this time true.  
  
"Zarbon, very well, I will enlighten you." He hit a button on a remote on the other chair arm. A screen descended from the ceiling between the throne and Zarbon. The picture was Arlia and the fleet preparing to attack it. "This is Arlia, the world we recently launch an offensive against."  
  
"Sir if Arlia is where the failure occurred then perhaps you should discuss this with Dodoria…"  
  
"Be silent Zarbon while you still have a choice in the manner. Have no fear I will get to Dodoria as soon as I am finished with you. But it was you who gathered the intel on this planet and assured me it would be an easy conquest. However…" A blast from a satellite based laser tore through the saucer ship in the Planet Trade fleet. The plummeted into the planet's atmosphere and burnt up. "As you can see that is not the case." Frieza gets up and walks over to Zarbon. Zarbon freezes. Frieza grabs his neck and begins to straggle him. He levitates into the air lifting Zarbon off his feet. He begins go black. And then feels Frieza let go and himself fall to the floor.  
  
"I am sorry sir."  
  
"Zarbon you are lousy excuse for an espionage chief. I am giving that right to your second, General Zorn. You are now assigned as the commander of personal detail. You will also turn over all of your slaves…"  
  
"But sir."  
  
Frieza turns and fires a wave of concussive energy at Zarbon shattering his arm. "I said be quiet. You will turn over all your slaves but one and will come to watch as I…enjoy myself." If anyone is curious, he means execute them. "One of them will be that Vern, Gera, you picked up a while back. You aren't keeping that creature any longer. Now get out of my sight."  
  
Zarbon crawled out of the room and down the halls. Dodoria pasted him in the halls. The only bright spot was the fact that across his face came a look of pure dread.  
  
Deep space aboard the World ship Mono-  
  
Vegeta and Nappa walked to the conference room Slug had told them to meet him in. Nappa looked at  
  
Vegeta hesitantly. "My prince. How can this old reptile help us defeat Frieza?"  
  
It was a good question. "Bardock said he was once physically powerful and now the forces he controls are space pirates of the calibre of our force not to mention they have a mobile base of operations."  
  
"Bardock has been wrong or need I remind you how I got this." He pointed to his missing eye. "Besides when Dark Harbor comes online we will have a ship building location that can spawn hundreds of those Dragoon Wings and enough…"  
  
Vegeta slammed Nappa against the wall, just hard enough to get his attention. "Nappa no one but me, you, and Bardock are suppose to know about that excluding those forces sent there to build it. And lose that tiresome, 'you didn't say anything about my eye', at least he pulled you out of Zarbon's citadel."  
  
"I am sorry. I just plain forgot we weren't where the walls can be trusted. Besides we need Kanassa and this Namek should be able to help us with that. The ships are getting crowded and I don't want to live on Arlia."  
  
"Hahaha. Nappa, I don't blame you one bit."  
  
The two old friends walked to the conference room on the World Ship in silence after that. Vegeta and Nappa entered the room and found the two Nameks waiting for them. Slug sat in a chair on the far side of the table. The other Namek sat on the left side. Two empty chairs were present one on the right, one on the near side. Vegeta in the one with it's back to the door, he slightly winced as he did and Nappa took the one on the right.  
  
"Good day Prince Vegeta and General Nappa, this is my wing commander and special coordinator Nail." Slug pointed to the younger Namek in the room. He lightly tipped his head as he look at both Saiyans. "Now Bardock says you have something of an assignment for us, since I owe him one let's hear what it is."  
  
Vegeta placed a disc in the displayer and turned it on. A planet flashed into view. "This is Planet Kanassa, the last major base the Planet Trade has in working order in that sector. The base includes a training facility, spaceport, and research center. Bardock wants the planet. Our recent attacks on Planet Trade facilities means that Kanassa's garrison is having a hard time replacing equipment, in fact if they can't manufacture it they don't have it. The planet has about ten divisions of Planet Trade conscripts, mostly concentrated in the spaceport. Two training cadres are at the training facility and at least two special teams are at the base as well. As far as we can tell the planet lacks a full anti-shipping net, but might have some of those weapons around the spaceport. We know that one squadron of planet trade fighters are stored in launch condition at the spaceport and can be mobilized in ten minutes. That concludes our knowledge of the target. He left planning to us."  
  
"What about capital ships," Nail asked.  
  
"If there are any they are hiding well," Vegeta replied. "What is your air strength?"  
  
"Two squadrons of Dragoon Wings, one squadron of Scale Bombers, and 6 dropships. Our ground strength is six divisions of mercenary soldiers and two teams of specials. If I am correct your twenty Saiyans also are split into two groups of ten." Slug.  
  
"Yes. Let's assume that the Planet Trade forces are at the numbers we suspect what is our plan?" Vegeta.  
  
"First we land away from the spaceport perhaps near the training facility so we can take out the cadres and a division or two out early in a scenario where we have the tactical advantage…" Nappa.  
  
"…Then we split into two equal groups and moving along two routes we hit the research center with air support…" Nail.  
  
"…No bombers. Bardock wants it intact. We form at skirmish line between our forces and the spaceport. We use bombers to close launch tunnels and move in with specials…" Vegeta.  
  
"…while our normals move in from behind and take control of the tower." Nail.  
  
"I like the plan. We arrive in Kanassa's orbit in three days." Slug adjourned the meeting with that.  
  
  
  
Arlia-  
  
Bardock walked down the line of his troops. As he passed each of his soldiers, he greeted them by name and wished them luck. He also checked their armor and scouters. It was a tradition he had. A way of showing his respect for those troops who followed him in this realistically futile effort.  
  
Just behind Bardock and to his right was his second Beeta. They had met on Frieza's ship rescuing the Prince. Beeta had been in King Vegeta party and was the only one to survive. With his help, Bardock took the Saiyan Prince and rightful heir from Frieza's grasp and escaped. They had been inseperable ever since.  
  
As Bardock passed the Saiyan half of the line, he reached the Garm half. Unable to focus and concentrate ki energy, these soldiers of a lost homeworld used technology. Bardock gave a them a chance to win with it though. They wore cybernetic suits, most adorned with images and styled after fierce mythological creatures. On one hand, they carried a plasma flamethrower, capable of burning even Saiyan flesh. On the other, they wielded a powerful laser, which could be linked with another one through a beam and fire a mega-sized blast of energy. The armor gave them flight ability and even increased speed and strength. Forearm claws meant they could use that strength to their advantage.  
  
Bardock became aware that the man standing behind and to his left stepped up. The man was Commander Tiamat, head of the Garm Technosoldiers and a close friend of Bardock. He had been assigned by the Garm Council to protect the refugee ships as they fled from their homeworld. As a result he had been on one and had witnessed as a blast tore through the planet and ripped it to pieces. They had run from the planet trade and survived thanks to their ships' ability to camouflage themselves. "Do you think this going to work?"  
  
"Tiamat you should know better. We have surprise and strength on our hands. One alone is enough to kill, but both. The shock will be fatal."  
  
"I know, but the Planet Trade will respond in force."  
  
Bardock knew that. "Then we will just have to be more forceful." Bardock turned to see a cruel and gleeful smile come over the Garm warrior's face. 'And they think they have no warriors. If they want to see what a warrior is they should examine this man.'  
  
"In five hours this begins Bardock we need to gather the wind and march like a hurricane." Beeta spoke up.  
  
"Amen," the Garm warrior voice distant as he scanned what would soon be a battlefield.  
  
To be continued…  
  
Chapter 3- The Hurricane Touches down  
  
Bardock's force go head to head with the Planet Trade as Vegeta and Nappa invade Kanassa. As word of the two prong attack reaches the seat of the Planet Trade, Frieza dispatches his best general to clean up the mess that Dodoria and Zarbon caused. And get ready because Raditz is coming home. What will Raditz think of the home he never knew, let alone his family of traitors. 


	4. Chapter 3

Saiyan Awakening  
  
Chapter 3- The Hurricane Touches Down  
  
"My father defined strength as the number of fleets he commanded. He sought to rule by firing beams of destructive energy at planets from space and it worked for him. But if you want to inspire true fear show them their enemy and give them free shot at their opponent. When they fail and realize they are at their enemy's complete mercy they are ready to be ruled. That is what specials can do. The Frost people have a saying; 'to the strong go the trophies of victory.' Let that be the rule of the Planet Trade. Let the specials rule without question. Let them walk the space lanes unchallenged. This is the age of Frieza and together we will write an epic of blood and victory."  
  
-Frieza, at his installation as Supreme Director of the Planet Trade in the year 675 AD  
  
On Arlia, the resistance wages a war against the planet trade. In the depths of space a young Saiyan warrior begins a journey to duty and tragedy. On route to Kanassa, an exiled prince prepares for battle. The sinister Zarbon holds a Saiyan warrior captive. This is not the universe you knew; this is the universe of the Saiyans.  
  
  
  
Arlia, On Z-Day-  
  
Bardock watched with his forces as the two divisions of Planet Trade Conscripts met the Arlian Grand Army. The two forces exchanged blaster fire with one another as the Planet Trade Special made their flanking movement. That was the key moment in the battle. Half of the Arlian Shadowwarriors, with General Dagul leading them, would fight the Planet Trade specials while the other jumped into the thickest part of the maelstrom.  
  
Bardock had the other flank. He and his Saiyan would engage the Planet Trade specials while the Garm Technosoldiers would reap a vengeance upon the conscripts. He saw the specials take flight and prepare their classic, and fatally predictable, maneuver. Bardock was about to counter and duplicate it. Surprise was an advantage. "All teams standby. This is it. If we succeed we put the scent of death upon the Planet Trade. If not, we die here with this world. I have a lot of fight left to do, so we all go home and they go to their graves." The Planet Traders were just above Bardock's cutaway. "Now! All units attack."  
  
Bardock followed his own order and launch into the sky. His force of Saiyans was smaller than their enemies, but the surprise allowed each of his warriors to get an undefended attack in, negating in one pass the Planet Trade's superiority. Then it was one on one duels. Bardock took on a squid like alien. He dodged one of it's attacks and then got in a hammer blow to the alien's back, snapping it's spine and crushing organs and it fell out of the sky. "FOR GARMIA!" Bardock heard the battle cry of the Garm as the flew into the thickest number of conscripts, waves of fire erupted from the center of the Planet Trade force as whole companies were burned alive by the hot flames, flames forged by pure hatred and the inner fire of vengeance.  
  
Bardock surveyed his troops. Beeta was engaging a Frost Fighter who looked to have the advantage. Then he closed to deliver a ki punch to Beeta and found himself entangled in the energy chains of the Saiyan Warrior's unique skill. Beeta had learned how to manifest chains of pure energy to wrap and paralyze his opponents. The Frost Fighter was at the Saiyan's mercy and Beeta had little. He used the chains that projected from body to crush his hapless opponent. The head, arms, legs, and tail popped off as the chains squeezed the joints. Beeta finished it by vaporizing the torso. On the other side, Bardock saw no sign of the Arlian Forces. His heart skipped a beat and then with his mind he felt their presence. They were using their invisibility and swords to deliver a one sided massacre to the Planet Trade.  
  
In hours it was over. The burnt landscape had been the funeral pyre of the Planet Trade Army. Bardock sat on the ridgeline as Beeta had gone off with Dagul to examine the Planet Trade ships. He heard Tiamat sit down beside him.  
  
"They will be back and soon. Communication said the got off a message after our ambush occurred they are still decrypting it though."  
  
"Tell them not to bother. I know what it is. 'Resistance forces on Arlia. Massive ground losses. Unable to retreat. We're going to…….Send reinforcements. Oh god…..' That is what it said or what it will."  
  
"You have seen it?"  
  
"Just now. They are going to send a Selan."  
  
"The Executor."  
  
"Yeah, Frieza's best general. His most cruel, inhuman, and tactical agent he has. His army has five divisions, two are Saiyan."  
  
"We're in trouble, aren't we?"  
  
"We are."  
  
  
  
Orbiting on the dark side of Kanassa's Moon-  
  
Vegeta stood in the ops center of the World Ship. It was a large room, abuzz with activity as technicians and helmsman dashed to their stations as the general quarters alert went off. Vegeta was caught up in the commotion as he made his way to the upper deck of the center. That deck was the tactical control. As he pulled himself onto the deck as he crawled off the ladder, he realized he was late. At a holographic display Nappa and Nail were arguing as they overlooked a map. Slug sat in a chair facing a window. Through the window was the moon of Kanassa. "Vegeta come over here." Slug called.  
  
"Yes Slug. Why can't I see the planet?"  
  
"The moon is between us and it. We can't see it and they can't see us. It was the one thing that Nail and Nappa agreed on."  
  
All the planning sessions had eventually detoriated into shouting matches between Nappa and Nail. "What are they arguing about now?"  
  
"Nail wants to use the bombers to blast the main barracks complex, so he can force enemy fighters to come out and be ambushed by ours. He figures you can build more barracks if you need too. Personally I think Nail is more right than Nappa is."  
  
"Agreed." Vegeta turned to his second. "Nappa, get over here." He waited for the bald, one-eyed, soldier to meet him. "We are going with Nail's plan, we don't need the barracks. As long as the research center and spaceport remain we have what we want."  
  
"Very well, but can I suggest that we have half our fighters escort the bombers, while the other half stays in the cloud bank."  
  
"I will take Nail up on that."  
  
"As will I. They are my fighters. Nail, get to your fighter. Nappa, will you do coordination?"  
  
"Certainly." Nail turned and shook Nappa's hand and left the conference room. Nappa took the seat to Slug's left and put on the headset.  
  
"All crews prepare for battle stations, fighters prepare for launch. Dragoon Two, take up positions for pre-emptive launch. Bombers prepare to the follow the Knights out, Lizards you got rear guard duty. Forward batteries, the communications satellite are your target. Helm, take us into the open, maximum tactical speed."  
  
Vegeta felt the worldship's engines come to life as the massive ship moved from behind the moon of Kanassa. On the tactical holograph, he saw the moon, communication satellite, and the worldship. On the holograph was a red line, which the worldship approached. "Point of no return." If anyone noticed or cared what he said they didn't show it. As the worldship crossed the line, Vegeta saw it turn and the satellite vaporize as a yellow beam lanced out of the ship and took out the satellite.  
  
"All Fighters deploy as order, number one target authorized."  
  
A chorus of replies came over the intercom as the fighters deployed.  
  
* * *  
  
Nail fixed his tactical display as the chrono on his control board clicked down to his launch window. He saw through the open fighter bay doors the last pair of strike bombers leave. "Blasted sloths, take all day to get their big butts out the door." That was the distorted voice of his wingman, Merc.  
  
"I am sure our comrades will be pleased with the assessment of their craft." Nail heard through his comm the laughs of his squadron.  
  
"Sorry sir."  
  
"Just keep your eye on your tail and all will be forgiven." He saw ticker hit. Clasping his breather on, he yelled, "Launch."  
  
He gun his engine and his triad shot out of the hanger followed by the other three triads. They angled toward the planet and speed after the rest of the force at full speed. The bombers disappeared through the clouds and on Nail's display he saw them start hammering the barracks. "Knights, we have hostiles coming in from the harbor. Four diamonds."  
  
Pola voice responded. "Four diamonds? They outnumber us command."  
  
"Just get the bombers out, green knight." That was nail's signal.  
  
"Lizards, form up we are about to have some fun." Nail saw the Knights form up on a missile salvo, when they fired it caught a single diamond in front. All four interceptors went down in flames. As the other planet trade interceptors prepared a response Nail's force broke through the clouds above them and opened up with pulse guns. Five enemy craft were torn apart by the attack. The Knights then pounced and jumped the remainder with pulse guns as they turned to pursue Nail's force. It was over. "Command, this Nail, request permission to hunt and seek."  
  
"Permission granted, happy hunting Lizards. Knights, you are escort for the bombers. Bombers, you have target two authorization."  
  
  
  
Planet Frost-  
  
Zarbon stood in the main hall of the Planet Trade's Supreme Directorship. He was less than pleased. He stood a few meters from Lord Frieza, who sat on a warm chair. In the center of the room was an open arena where Frieza's best executioner was demonstrating his favorite techniques. General Zorn, now the Planet Trade's Intelligence Chief, stood opposite Zarbon. He was a Saiyan, one of the few who had supported neither House Vegeta nor Paragus's army. He pledged allegiance to House Frost and Frieza himself solely. He hid any emotion or thoughts he had under his stony face. He had, over Zarbon's objections, suggested to Frieza that the resistance was on Arlia and that was the source of the heavy weaponry the Planet Trade ran into.  
  
Standing next to Zorn was the Selan General, Drake Tepis. A cruel man, by even the standards of Frieza and others. He was known as the man who led the assault on Garmia and had ordered its entire people killed by impaling. The executioner was one of his people.  
  
In the center of the arena, Executioner bowed to Frieza. "Are there anymore sheep that need cleansing my lord?"  
  
"Ah, Raz, you love your work too much. Yes we have two more." Zarbon bit his tongue. They did this every time he finished with a victim, it was a sick game they played and enjoyed. Worse it was his slaves they were executing.  
  
Next came an insectoid male, who stood several feet taller than his killer did. He lashed out at the Selan, who effortlessly moved out of reach. "My lord this one is not broken."  
  
"Then break it." Raz manifested a staff of pure energy and smashed the side of the insect's body with it, crushing ribs and the arms that moved to shield them. He then thrust the poles flat end into both sets of compact eyes. As the creature fell to it's knees, Raz went behind it and morphed the pole into a lance and drove it through the creature's back. He lifted the lance and body up and implanted it in the ground.  
  
"My lord may I have the last one."  
  
"Of course, but I have something special in mind." Frieza clapped and two guards brought out the Vern girl, Gera. Gera was the last of her race. Twenty years ago, Zarbon found her nearly broken child corpse in the wreckage of her world. He had kept her thinking her child mind might be fun to abuse. He had chosen otherwise and as much as he could adopted her. He figured that taking care of her, as his own child was the only thing he ever did which meant a damn thing. Now he would watch as she died.  
  
Raz manifested a knife and cutoff her clothing revealing the streamline reptile skin underneath. Then he went behind her and opened a cage and led something out by a collar. When Zarbon saw the six-legged, three-meter long creature, he visibly cringed. It's white scale, long neck, and four horns only belonged to one creature. "A Frost Dragon." They drank the blood of their victims, using it to stay warm. The guards released Gera and crowded around Raz. Gera backed away as the creature. As she did it fired a sedative-laced thorn from its body, which paralyzed her. It waded over to her and drove it's straw like mouth into her belly. She screamed in pain and her eyes locked with Zarbon's and plead for help. He looked away. The creature drank in her blood and as the color faded from her she went limp.  
  
"Well done Raz. You are demised with thanks. Now Zarbon, I want to make you understand that…"  
  
"Lord Frieza." Frieza turned to Zorn, who dismissed the courier standing beside him with a wave of his hand. "Report from Arlia." He approached Frieza and handed him the sheet.  
  
"Zorn, have your spies confirmed the presence of resistance forces?"  
  
"Yes, three groups; Tiamat's, Beeta's, and Bardock's." Zarbon heard a hiss as Zorn said the name.  
  
"Drake!"  
  
"Yes my lord."  
  
"Take your force and head to Arlia as soon as possible."  
  
"I can leave before dawn. It will take three days to reach there."  
  
"Good don't fail me Drake."  
  
"I am going myself. If I fail, I will die in the process." The Selan general turned and walked out.  
  
  
  
Kanassa-  
  
  
  
Vegeta fell out of the massive dropship as it hung in the air, deploying waves of troops, most the mercenary forces of Lord Slug. The world was dry. The heat and lack of air moisture hit Vegeta hard. He saw others in the forces react similarly. As far as Vegeta could see, there was nothing but a huge sandy prairie. 'Too much open ground. Forget about watching the flank this world is a giant mobile warfare training center.'  
  
He landed softly and his force formed up. Nappa had landed a little north of his position. The third force was to the southeast. The training center was in the east and Vegeta had the center of the line. The plan called for him to link up with Nappa on the way. Together they would 'callout' the forces gathered at the training facility. While they were engaged the southeast force would come up from the south and hit the facility, just as they would be forced to call up their reserves. Vegeta had figured that the over correction would weaken the forces engaged with him and allow him to take the center.  
  
Vegeta and his force flew off toward the training center and met Nappa's force about halfway. He flew next to his Prince and turned to speak. "You know I have a bad feeling about this."  
  
"Why is that Nappa?"  
  
"Well, there is no pickets."  
  
Vegeta realized he hadn't even seen or scouted any Planet Trade conscripts. Standard procedure for any of their permanent bases was to have round the clock patrols. Even if those forces had chosen not to do battle they should have been seen. "They probably just were called back. I doubt they have the discipline to maintain the frontlines on this backwater world." Vegeta knew it was a lie, and by the look on Nappa's face he knew it too. Kanassa was not a backwater world. It was the operational capital of the Planet Trade's Expansion Zone.  
  
On the horizon, the training facility loomed into view and grew as the strike force moved closer. They cut back on the burners. Vegeta came ahead of the line and summoned his energy to boost his vocal cords. "PLANET TRADE FOOLS, WE ARE THE FORCES OF THE RESISTANCE AND I, THE RIGHTFUL RULER OF THE SAIYAN PEOPLE DEMAND YOU SURRENDER." The defenders responded with laughs and focused blaster shots. Seven hit Vegeta in rapid succession. They didn't do any real damages but annoyed him. His force started responding with energy blasts, most hitting the pillbox and bunker walls that the defenders hid in. Vegeta was about to unleash a shot when he heard a whistling through the air.  
  
"Get down Prince." Nappa grabbed him and threw himself to the ground. Several loud explosions ripped through the sky and heard screams. He looked up to see black clouds.  
  
"What was that Nappa?"  
  
He didn't respond. Vegeta pulled himself out from the slack weight of Nappa and saw a metal in his back a pool of blood was under his legs. Vegeta check his heartbeat and vitals with the scouter and was relieve to discover he was just unconscious. He looked around to see similar displays of carnage. He let out an almost feral cry of rage and took off for the fortress. Energy blasts greeted his attack, but anger and an energy shield held the annoyances at bay. The wall couldn't stop him and with all his strength he dove at it and smashed through. A handful of conscripts were in the corridor with him. As they turned to flee, he struck. Vegeta grabbed the neckline of the closest one and fired a blast through his chest. Another fled down the hall but Vegeta flew behind him and with a sweep of his hand beheaded the Planet Trader. The last three were down the hall but Vegeta pressed his wrist together and released a concussive wave of energy at the cowards shattering the bones of their body. He continued through the base taking out terrified conscripts, who were neither trained nor capable of fighting someone like Vegeta. Someone might have surrendered, he wasn't sure nor did it matter, he killed fighter, runner, and quitter alike. To him the next hour was one bloody smear. In the end, with every Planet Trader dead in the base he walked out and saw Slug stand before the combined force.  
  
"Well that was an interesting show. Now what were you thinking?"  
  
"I wasn't. Sorry if I ruined your plan. Is Nappa alright?"  
  
Slug shook his head. "Nappa is fine but there is a great many of our people who are not and some, even of your own, who will never leave this place." To highlight his point, he looked to where a young Saiyan girl was dropped into a freshly dug grave. Vegeta was somewhat ashamed that even with his small force he could not put a name to the girl's broken body.  
  
Bardock's words spoken to Vegeta, a year ago, when he was given control of a fresh squadron, came back to haunt him. 'Remember Prince we are a movement. All those that follow us do so because something in their heart says it is the right choice. I remember the name of every person, who I have sent to his or her deaths. Toma, Fenris, Cucum…' Vegeta softly growled as he wondered how many names he would need to remember before this war was over.  
  
"We have a problem Slug."  
  
"What Vegeta?"  
  
"There was about a half a cadre worth of soldiers in there, no more."  
  
"Where did the others go?"  
  
"I don't know, but I didn't see any canons either so unless they were hurling those shrapnel shells…"  
  
"Blast this is going to get complicated."  
  
  
  
Planet Vegeta-  
  
Raditz sat in a small bar. He had yet to head to his quarters, he didn't want to be alone here and yet part of him did. He downed the last of his malt and ordered another. The bar was about a block from the spaceport and seemed to be visited by exclusively warriors. But unlike the others he had seen and visited for a short time, this one was dark. Each of the booths had a semi-transparent cloth over the open end. Most of the bars guests wore dark clothing and elements the hid their faces. The bar's name was the Traitor's Tab. Raditz didn't understand that but for some reason he felt at ease here.  
  
Newscast filled the room, with most of the booths small video screens lighting up and the big one over the bar joining them. The young lady on the screen spoke up as the logo of the Planet Net rotated behind her. "Two days ago, Planet Trade forces suffered a minor setback on Arlia. This setback was engineered by Saiyan Traitor and Alienist, Bardock. Reports indictate that revolutionary forces suffered severe losses and that much of the 2nd Planet Trade Division escaped unscathed. We go to a press conference by War Minister Romaine…"  
  
The video screen flipped off. Raditz had found out earlier today that this Bardock was his father. When he ignorantly told a man who greeted him in the first bar he visited, he got a punch in the face. "What a traitor he must be. I have no family, no honor, and no self-respect. Only this." He put his hand on his armor, right beneath it was that pendent.  
  
"Hey fellow, you okay in there? We don't like if you get so drunk that you start hallucinating." Raditz turned to a girl, about his age, move back the curtains. She had a jumpsuit, which tightly clung to her body. The logo on it was of the bar.  
  
"I'll be fine." He was slurring and he knew it. As he move to grab the new malt she had brought he tipped over in his booth and puke on the floor.  
  
"No, you won't. I hate first time drunks. C'mon, you are going home." Raditz tried to lift himself out of the booth, but the flesh was weak, or maybe just to drunk to get there.  
  
"Wish I could."  
  
"C'mon I will get you there." With that she grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the booth and out the door. He slightly realized that she grabbed his identification card and led herself to a turbo rail and took him to a large building structure. He was a little helpful now and was able to get up the stairs and into his apartment he assumed without her help, but she stayed in the wings none the less.  
  
When he got into the room he found the toilet and puked again. "Why did you help?"  
  
"Something my dad taught me to do. Nice room." It was a sarcastic tone for sure. It wasn't that nice. It had to rooms. One with a bed and another with a toilet and shower. "What about your dad…?"  
  
"Raditz. He's a traitor." He didn't care if she slapped him and ran out the door, he didn't want her here anyway. "The Great Bardock." He laughed as he said it. "So what's a strong girl like you working in dark hole?"  
  
"My father was…is one of the men under Bardock, that's why. My mother and older brother were executed by Frieza and I was sold into slavery of Lord Zorn, he lent me to the bar's owner as fill-in waitress."  
  
"I'm sorry. I…I…I"  
  
"Don't be Raditz and the name is Diva. I hope I see you again." She walked out. In Raditz's ears he heard a slight sadness.  
  
  
  
To be continued…  
  
Chapter 4- A Heart of Ice  
  
Drake marches across Arlia unhindered and the Resistance suffers a momentous casualty on Kanassa as they hit a huge setback. In the midst of this, an assaination is planned that might devastate the Saiyan Government, but who will benefit from the greed of one man. And the fate of Fasha is revealed. 


	5. Chapter 4

Saiyan Awakening  
  
Chapter 4- Heart of Ice  
  
"We have lost our homeworld. We had to bear the cruelty of watching a blast rip our beloved Garmia to pieces, as we ran in our refugee ships. However not all is lost, our world may be gone, but we can still fight for the ideals of our world. To live as one chooses, to love that one wishes, to be judged for your abilities and virtues and not who your father was. So my fellow guardsmen, indeed my fellow Garm, let us fight and live. Let us avenge our world and bring pain to our enemies. Bardock offers us a chance to build a universe that the founding fathers of our republic would be proud of. For Garmia."  
  
-Commander Tiamat of the Republic Guard, on the eve of the Battle of the Alliance in 745 AD.  
  
On Arlia, the Resistance prepares for the second onslaught, this time led by the Planet Trade's best warrior. On Kanassa, Prince Vegeta fights a hard battle against Planet Trade forces, fighting that is going to leave fields of dead warriors in it's wake. On Vegeta, a Saiyan Warrior comes home, but will soon be walking into a plot that will be orchestrated by greedy man. And the fate of a Saiyan captive is revealed. This is not the universe you knew; this is the Universe of the Awakening.  
  
  
  
Arlia's Solar Orbit-  
  
The warship sat behind the star of the Arlian System. Its heat shield could protect it for 3 hours and they were quickly approaching the end of the first hour. The bridge was quiet and unlit. The protective window shields were down. The Nightglider was ready for battle.  
  
In the captain's chair was an alien of peculiar form. It was covered in hard scales. The dark green tint of these scales made it hard to notice at night. Its long snout occasional opened to reveal the long rows of razor sharp teeth and the two-foot tongue. It stood six feet and was rather thin but carried muscularity about it. The scars on its arms and face confirmed its rank. This was General Drake Tepis of the Selan Lords.  
  
He opened it eyes; the black slit in the center opened to aid its sight and the blood red iris of the creature receded. Before him was two aliens. He turned to his Selan Captain and then the Kra Ground Commander. "Commander point five."  
  
"We land troops at the five landing sites and then march to the Arlian Capital post haste."  
  
"Captain point six."  
  
"We bombard the Arlian Capital from space."  
  
"Commander point seven and eight."  
  
"Groups five and four split from main attack. Five takes the spaceport and four screens the rear of the capital."  
  
"Captain point nine."  
  
"The Enigma takes up an atmosphere position above Arlia's capital while the Nightglider deploys jammers."  
  
"Commander point ten."  
  
"Group one takes the offensive against the capital, while three bunkers. Two then flanks the line, while four…"  
  
"Commander go back to your tactical screen and memorize the entire battle script again. Then come back here and give it to me verbatim."  
  
The commander marched off. "Weren't you a little soft, Drake?"  
  
Drake made a hooting sound and then flicked his tongue out and wet his eyes. "He is a good commander Rex, he just needs to learn how to follow orders. I would usually allow him to take the initiative but in this case we need to stick to the plan for as long as possible."  
  
"Then why not assign another."  
  
"Because when the plan goes sour, and it will, we need someone who is confident enough to take the initiative and smart enough not to get a lot killed in the process. We are fighting a formidable force, in this world. An entire strike group lost."  
  
"Is it true that Bardock is among them?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then how can any plan succeed if one is fighting a precog?"  
  
"That is assuming it is true. I am acting as though it isn't. If Bardock is a precog, I can't defend against that, I don't know if one can, so I will treat this scenario as if he weren't."  
  
"And if he is?"  
  
Drake gripped the pendent on his neck and closed his eyes. "May the Great Dragon walk with us in the dark places we must go." Rex turned back to his station and Drake withdrew into his mind formulating and trying to get inside his opponents' decision circle. "He expects us to fight like the Planet Trade, if we…hmmm."  
  
  
  
Planet Kos, Regency House of Zarbon-  
  
Fasha fell on the floor of her cell and vomited into the drain. Zarbon had spent the last two hours forcing her to eat a ton of food. It was her punishment for serving him poorly cooked meat. What she hadn't known until now was that the food was poisoned with an anti-acidic laxative. This forced her to purge everything in her belly.  
  
She finally emptied and collapsed against the wall. She was trembling from the damage to nervous system. As she closed her eyes, the cell door opened again and Zarbon grabbed her arm and yanked her out.  
  
He dragged her through the dark corridors to his torture chamber. She began to struggle and dig in her heels. Zarbon turned smiled a sly smile and continued to drag her. He entered the chamber and put to cuffs on her wrists and another pair on her ankles. She was in the center of a spotlight and he stood in front of her holding a control pad.  
  
"What are you?" he asked.  
  
"I am a Saiyan Warrior." Electric volts traveled up her body from the cuffs, burning nerves.  
  
"Wrong you are a slave. Now what am I to you?"  
  
"You want to know?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Frieza's tail-licker." The look in his eyes was worth the pain. Pure fury and unintelligent rage boiled through his face. It's in fact worse then butt-kisser, since it also means you have homosexual leanings, since the tail of male frostian is where they keep their genitalia.  
  
Zarbon pushed down on the button and the worse pain Fasha had felt, in this game, sprang up. She twisted and convulsed on the floor, but when it ended he picked up her chin with his boot. "Lick the boot."  
  
She spit on it then laid her head on the floor and went to sleep.  
  
  
  
Planet Kanassa-  
  
The plan had gone well after the artillery barrage at the Training Facility, but Vegeta had a sickening suspicion that things were about to get complicated again. They strike force had split into two groups one marching toward the north of the research site, one to the south. They would turn on it together and hit the site at the same time forcing the units defending it to divide their resources and attention.  
  
Once again as they approached, they found no pickets. This was starting to bother Vegeta; it was like they were goading the Resistance to fight on the Traders terms. The Facility came into view as Vegeta across a mountain ridge that screened his approach and then the sky lit up. Pulse guns and laser cannons on the peaks started firing at the Resistance. "All units drop to the ground." He let the sky drop him and landed with a painful thud on the hard, rocky ground. He heard the now familiar sound of artillery dropping both high explosive and air burst shrapnel shells on his forces. His forces started to throw shields and march across the terrain. As they climbed up the mountainside a new terror greeted him. Mines popped out of the ground and tore chunks from his forces. As he got passed the minefield and still below the peak guns, he thought he was safe and could regroup. That's when the specials came out to play.  
  
Some dove into his conscripts and some took positions above them and started firing scatter shots. Vegeta took out of one the artillerist with a ki blast. One grabbed his arms and piledrived him into the ground. Then as he pulled himself out the crater three jumped him. He ripped off one's head and threw at another. He took out the last of these by ripping out the fool's heart. The last three artillerists fired scatter shots right down on top of him. He didn't get out in time and the feeling of burning flesh faded into darkness.  
  
  
  
Arlia-  
  
Bardock called a meeting of all his commanders. Drake was coming. It was a circular table. Beeta sat to his right. Tiamat to his left and across Dagul. "Well, we have one of the most formidable and cruel commanders coming to visit us and he has no interest in our beverages. Does anyone know what he is like?"  
  
"I do." It was Beeta. "His reputation proceeds him but it is a lie. Oh he is the best strategist; the lie is that he is cruel. He isn't, he is one of their nicest officers."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"When I was training to be an officer, he was an instructor of Troop Frugalism. That was what he called it. The only time he performed an act of cruelty was when he impaled five assassins for the attempted murder of his king."  
  
"Got what they deserved huh?"  
  
"They didn't do it for any idealist reasons, they did it so another lord could take the throne. Drake didn't believe in the monarchy, but he didn't want a civil war. He once told me, 'Just because one is born to be king does not mean they were meant to.'"  
  
"Does he have a favorite strategy?"  
  
"No, he runs each battle by getting inside his opponent's decision circle, he figures out what they are going to do, what they think he is going to do. When he has, he makes them think they were right and then really does something else. The confusion is enough to kill most of the time. In his past twenty missions, he has gotten his opponents to negotiate a surrender, saving those races from total extermination."  
  
"Will he retreat?"  
  
"That is the one thing he drilled in us everyday. 'There is no shame in retreat, there is no honor is dying for a lost cause.' He'll run if he has to. He approaches every situation as though it were a stuffed drain. What is the quickest way to do, what is the least expensive, what is the most efficient. That is how he works."  
  
Bardock spoke up. "Will he defect?"  
  
"I don't know. He hated how the Planet Trade worked and always lobbied for his world to secede from the Planet Trade. That is why he is so willing to ask for a world's surrender and discusses terms. But he is loyal to his world and his people. He won't abandon Sela."  
  
"One last question. If you had to fight him, could you kill him?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
Kanassa-  
  
Nail stood in front of the detoriating battlefront. Vegeta's entire strike force was decimated and had retreated to conserve its remaining strength, but he had a plan. 'Now Slug sees why it is wrong to rely on mindless monkeys. Bardock is the exception not the rule.'  
  
His main column had entrenched, but his personal team, with him among them, crept through the tunnels in the ridge and surfaced near the Research Facility. Nail carved a hole in the wall. A member of his team sunk his claws in the wall cutout and pulled it away. The team entered.  
  
Nail took the point as the roamed through the halls. Their first objective was the artillery cannons. He sent half his force through the base toward the command center. The other half went with him to the courtyard. Each member had a pad, which showed the layout of the base. Bardock's spies were everywhere.  
  
Nail saw the cannons in the courtyard. Five mobile artillery batteries, each guarded by three conscripts, plus the cannon's crew. Nail and his team flew out of the corridor and into the courtyard as fast as possible. Two of the cannons' guards were caught unaware and those guards and crews were liquidated with a few well-placed punches and kicks. The third and fourth crews surrounded their guns and fired bolts at their attackers. The fifth crew began dismantling their gun while the guards started firing at the captured guns. Nail took out the fourth crew by himself and his compatriots routed the third crew. The fifth was hit with a concentrated beam strike.  
  
Nail and his group rushed through the halls again toward the in-battled command center. Three heavy blaster cannons were filling the hallway with plasma blasts. Nail peeked over the edge and sited the cannons. "Captain hit the right side with an eye laser barrage." The captain across the hallway opening nodded and turned his head across the corner. His eyes lit up and then fired twinjets of energy down the hall. The smell of melting metal and burning flesh washed down the hallway. Nail turned his head around the corner and did the same. He saw his beams hit the target and starting to bore holes into the cannon's barrel. The metal fell off in molten chunks and then hit his objective, the batteries power core. The flash heating of the plasma coils was more than the coolant device could take. A reverse power flow went through the gun to get energy out of the coils but the superheated gas also escape. Nail turned away as the ball of super heated gas escaped the gun and vaporized the other guns and their less resilient crews. The fireball traveled half the distance to Nail before losing its momentum and receding.  
  
Where Nail's forces should have found bodies and wrecked machines, instead they found globs of cooling molten metal and blacken walls as the only remains of the soldiers who had bravely but vainly defended this hall.  
  
  
  
Arlia-  
  
The world stood in his view. It was a desert dry world. So much like Sela. He wanted the dryness, his time on Frost was not pleasant, and it rarely was. One joy of this mission would be the climate, if the only. Frieza ordered him to exterminate the world and all those on it. He never thrilled in the savagery of the Planet Trade; he hated the fact that his race was such a good and willing ally of Frieza.  
  
"Burn in hell, you wretch. This is the last world I destroy for you. After this I am retiring and going to spend the rest of life growing plants on Sela." He was in his private quarters, regaining his strength and focus, but he was not alone."  
  
"Even in here, old friend, it is not wise to speak of Lord Frieza such. He has ears on many heads."  
  
"Not yours I trust." Rex stepped from the darkness toward the viewport where Drake sat.  
  
"No, he holds no more esteem in my eyes then your own. If you hate him such why not rebel?"  
  
Drake waved his hand over the holo-emitter. A holograph of Sela jumped up. "Because I could never go home, my wife and children would be lost to me, perhaps even murdered. I can't do that, I can't put them in such risk."  
  
"I hear you old friend. My wife shot me a message right before we left. She had her first brood."  
  
"How many?"  
  
"Seven."  
  
"It is difficult to be away from home when you have little hatchlings hopping around. That is why I want to go home after this."  
  
"I can almost see you. Drake the farmer, feared adversary of all those who would stand against the Planet Trade, now feared only by weeds and bugs."  
  
"Dirt is easier to clean, than the corruption in my soul."  
  
"If such a thing exists."  
  
"It does, the Great Dragon formed our bodies with his scales, but he foraged our fiery rage hearts with his own breath. From the fire in his belly came the fire in our souls."  
  
"You are one of the few this high in our race that stills believes in the old ways."  
  
"In light of our current allies, the ideals of honor, morality, and courage became outmoded. Sela is not the world I was born on."  
  
"Orbital Dawn." Over the planet's horizon, the sun rose. It was always a sight that lifted Drake's mood. Today was the only exception. It was always a reminder of how the Great Dragon rose from the fiery core of the Universe to radiate its fire and forge the galaxies of the Universe, of how he went through the Universe and breathed his great power into races of the Universe. And in the end, he left the Universe; he had labored to create.  
  
"Let's get this over with." He sat up and rushed out of his private sanctum on the Nightglider. The bridge was a cluster of confusion. "Captain, put my flagship on battle status and signal the Enigma to do the same."  
  
Rex dropped to his station was to the right and forward of the command chair. Rex jumped onto the chair from behind and activated his tactical screens. "General, the taskforce is ready."  
  
"Very well, have targeting form a ring in this sector." He pointed to a circle about 500 kilometers wide and in the area of the planetary defense screen. "Enigma, I want you to press your ship into the middle orbital plane and stationary fire on the platforms, assign priority to the lasers. Captain, have the Nightglider press just to starboard of the Enigma same orders, but priority to the missiles. Both ships are to use missile batteries for combat, use the power to the lasers to feed the interceptor systems."  
  
Rex issued the orders and the engines kicked to life. He walked up to Drake. "Drake, wouldn't the lasers be better."  
  
"No, they don't reload as fast and firepower is mote, these satellites aren't shielded." As if to demonstrate his point, the satellites in the area were quickly being blasted out of the sky. Rex looked at his screen and saw both ships had above ninety percent shielding. Satellites started to feed into the engagement zone. It didn't matter as soon as they reached firing range and oriented themselves, a missile hit them or dumb fired interceptor bolt. "See the enemy defenses, orbit wide are already dropping below fifty percent strength."  
  
"I am sorry I doubted you."  
  
"You did your job, if I had been wrong, I would have no one to blame but myself for ignoring you. The last expedition used only lasers and engines. They couldn't fire fast enough. Captain; order our ground commander to start deploying his landers. And tell him not to leave until I join him."  
  
"You are going below General."  
  
"Yes, Captain you don't need me to lead you through the rest of the space campaign. The Taskforce is yours, if we must fall back, make sure we have somewhere we have somewhere to go." Rex laughed as Drake left.  
  
"Well at least he hasn't lost his heart yet." He pumped his arm in a gesture of strength. "Just make sure you come back old friend." He looked at his three-fingered claw. He reach below his armor to a small pouch and pulled out the fire red ruby pendent, the Pendent of the Dragonheart. He put it on his neck and grasped it. A terrible feeling overcame him, a dread of one who is being watched.  
  
  
  
Planet Vegeta-  
  
The boy was truly an interesting specimen. The son of a traitor, so willing to be accepted into a society which hated his blood. He could use this willing and naïve boy to his advantage. Raditz, the son of Bardock, would be a puppet, a pawn in a game of power.  
  
The irony was delicious for in many ways, it was Bardock who made this all possible.  
  
* * *  
  
Raditz was surprised at the message. He read it again to make sure he was right.  
  
Raditz of House Bardock, you are summoned to appear before the Deputation of the Noble Houses. This deputation will be on the 16th of the month, it will be on the grounds of the Dark Palace in Rebu. You are to appear in dress fit for the court.  
  
The 16th was only three days away, a summons to appear before the deputation of the Noble Houses of the Saiyans was a high honor, or an invitation for pain. Raditz decided to know which in the next three days. The library system had a listing of all the Noble Houses, perhaps that would shed a clue.  
  
Raditz pulled up a listing of the Noble Houses. It was an incomplete record, since any mention of House Vegeta was struck from the record. This left much of the houses histories deleted, especially during the time of the civil war. It wasn't until he hit House Zorn that he found something useful.  
  
House Zorn is one of the most ancient Houses and the earliest kings of the Saiyans came from this House. Recently House Zorn has become distant from the other Houses, swearing allegiance to Paragus only after the Civil War. House Zorn has even moved its household residence from Planet Vegeta to Planet Meat. However, it stills holds an official residence at the Dark Palace.  
  
The present Lord Zorn has recently become the head of Planet Trade intelligence, being the first Saiyan to achieve an administrative role in the Planet Trade. He is considered ambitious and skilled, by many of his peers.  
  
"Hmm…ambitious, skilled, and apparently he holds a tentative allegiance to Paragus. Something is wrong here. The head of the deputation is Paragus of course, but. Computer, who is the chairman of the next deputation?"  
  
"Lord Zorn."  
  
"It's trap and Paragus is the target."  
  
To be continued…  
  
Chapter 5- Victory Day  
  
The war on Arlia comes down to a duel between the champion of the Arlians and the Selan Drake. The Resistance makes a finally push to take Kanassa as Prince Vegeta recovers from a severe injury and learns a powerful lesson. An assassination plot can elevate one man to a position of supreme power or restore one man to his honor. And the cruel truth behind the mysterious Paragus is revealed. 


End file.
